of two Alvar saints aro

gi ven below.
Coetalls
tlhe details of all twelve Alvar naints ond makoa
nd
o
complete chart.
Devotional Paths And Name
Perlod and Place
Composition Avatare
Panchajanya (Krishna's conci)
Polgai Alvar 7th century Kanchipuram Mudhal Thiruvandhadhi

Religious Movements 2. Bhoothalvar 7thcentury Mahabalipuram

100 verses
Irandam 1hiruvandhalhi Kaumodakee(Vishnu'aMacn/Club)
100 versen

There were 63 Nayanars, who belonged to Tukaram, Namdev, Jnaneshwar and Fiknath were
Key Terms go to attain peace and concentratlon
backgrounds such as potters,
caste bhakti saints who preached in the region of
saints devotedto Vishnu
Nayanars salnts devoted
to Shiva different of
Alvars
devotion self-punishment "untouchable" workers, pcasants, hunters, Maharashtra. They popularised the worship
bhakti penance and chiefs but the best known Vitthala (a form of Lord Vishnu).
Ek Omkar o n e God salvation freedom fromthe cycle of blrth and $oldiers, brahmanas
evolution development death among them were Appar, Sambandar and Krishna bhakti was made
karma deed
and letting them Seva service Manikkavasagar. There were 12 Alvars, who came popular by Chaitanya in
following ourthoughts and the most Bengal. Tulsidas was a
from equally divergent backgrounds
meditation:

to make learning enjoyable

Periyalvar, his daughter Andal,
Cordova Smart Class Software on the smart board in class
ones were devotee of Rama. Surdas
Use popular
them closer to God. Virtues
were more Tondara Dippodi Alvar and Nammalvar. composed bhajans expressing
Medieval period is known for
the evolution of bring his devotion to Krishna.
underwent many
important than rituals. Bhakti or devotion brought the bhakti saints closer
religious trends. Hinduism that both the to truth and God. Most of them were poor, Mirabai, a Rajput princess,
different from what it The most important aspect was
changes and became very movements were open to all and accepted all people illiterate and of low caste but they knew they did expressed her love and
Hinduism now Shunkurncharya
was during the Vedic period.
reach God and to devotion for Krishna through
talked about birth, death and rebirth. A person's irrespective of caste, creed or religion. not have to be great scholars, to
and feel His presence her bhajans.
life is connected to his past karma or the good These saints popularised singing bhajans, kirtans or
bad actions. Freedom from the cycle of birth and qawwalis oreven repeating the name of God in silence Multiple Choice Questions (Quick Revision) Couplet ofSurdas
death called salvation could only be obtained by akhiyaan hari darshan ki pyaasi
devotion and personal worship to God. This path BHAKTI MOVEMENT Tick () the correct options.
of pure and undying devotion was called bhakti. 1. Freedom from the cycle of birth and death is| dekho chahat kamala nayan ko,
New religious movements evolved during the 7th
It is not that this idea of bhakti was not prevalent in called nis din rahat udaasi.
to the 9th centuries. These movements were led by
Vedic age, in fact, bhakti is also mentioned in the the Nayanars (saints devoted to Shiva) and Alvars (a) bhakti (b) salvation Ukesar tilak motin ki maala,
Bhagavadgita, but it was in the medieval age that it (saints devoted to Vishnu). (c) blhajans vrindavan ke vaasi
gained popularity. Almost parallel to Bhakti meha lagaye tyaagi gaye trun sam, Surdas
The Nayanars and Alvars came from all castes 2. The saints devotedtoShiva were
Movement was an Islamic philosophy, popularly daari gaye gal phanst.
called Sufi Movement. The word Sufi is derived including those who were called "untouchables", (a) Alvars Lb) Nayanars ke haansi.
like the Pulaiyars and the Panars. They preached () None of these
kahu ke man ki kou kaa jaane, logan man
from Suf meaning wool. They were called sufis
ardent love of Shiva or Vishnu as the path to suradas prabhu tumhare daras bin lehon kuravat kaasi
because they wore coarse garments made of wool.
salvation. They propagated the ideals of love and Bhakti Saints Our eyes thirst for a vision of Hari;
The Bhakti and the Sufi saints influenced the It was during the early medieval period that
masses. They had the belief that one can be united
heroism as found in the Sangam literature (the They long to see the lotus-eyed one,
with God or the Supreme being through earliest example of Tamil literature) and added Ramanuja and Shankaracharya spread the Grieving for him day and night.
prayers, them with the values of bhakti. They wrote in message of Bhakti in southern India. Ramanuja
meditations, devotion and leading a pure andd Wearing a saffron tilak and pearl garland
Tamil and Telugu to enable the common people to devotion and surrender to
simple life. preached complete And dwelling in Vrindavan,
understand the simplicity behind the teachings and God. Shankaracharya believed that the path to
How did the Bhakti and Sufi saints contribute to He gave us his love, then cast us aside like a blade
ideals. The Nayanars and Alvars went from place to salvation was through knowledge.
the life of a common man? Bhakti and Sufi saints of grass
place composing exquisite poems in praise of the of
preached to the masses to concentrate on their This Bhakti movement spread to other parts
deities and singing them. The Chola built It gained propularity as the saints preached
Throwing anoose around our necks.
deeds in present life, as only good deeds could kings India. No one knows what is in another's mind,
temples atplaces visited by these saints. in the language of the masses.

(78 Cordova Leaming Series HISTORY-7 Cordova Learning Serles HISTORY-7 79

 There is laughter. Without a vision of you, Other Bhakti Saints
Pothi Padh Padh Jag Mua, Pandit
we would give up our very lives. The ideas of the Nayanar and Alvar saints also Bhaya Na Korye
phai Aakhar Prem Ke, Jo Padhe so Pandit part of Indian
philosophical thought. His
Teachings spread to northern India. Ramanand lived in Hoye philosophy consisted of three basíc elements.
Banaras and spread the idea of bhakti to people Reading books
where
everyone died, none
A l l humans are equal. People should love each of became any wiser. Importance of aGuru
all castes. Kabir - a weaver, Ravidas a
other. No one is a high caste or a low caste. God cobbler, One who reads the word of Love, Ideology (Shabad) and
Sena-a barber and Sadhana - a butcher, only becomes wise
created everyone as equal. were his
disciples, Dukh Mein Simran Sab Kare, Sukh Mein
Kare Na Organisation (Sangat).
Ceremonies, rituals, sacrifices and renouncing koye
the world are not means by which one can
Chaitanya was a devotee of
Krishna. He was born in Jo Sukh Mein Simran Kare, Tau Dukh Kahe Ko The Message Of Guru Nanak Through
come close to God. Selfless love and
complete Bengal. His teachings
Hoye A Story
In anguish everyone prays to Him,
devotion can bring one near God. A person
attracted a large section of the injoy does none In
who is pure at heart and mind is the one who js To one who prays in happiness, how sorrow
can
a
kingdom, people were
observing the
society that included Hindus come
Ekadashi fast, meant for Lord Vishnu. There was
the closest to God.
and Muslims and people just one man who did not observe the fast.
Bhakti stressed on helping those in need. Kabir believed in a formless
Supreme God. God Hearing this, the Raja of the kingdom was
from lower castes. He gave
for him was one, the supreme reality. Kabir did not furious. The man was called
Aguru isvery important in bhakti. Knowledge importance to universal love Chaitanya believe in rituals like idol upon and the king
is an important element and this, bhakti as the first
step towards the love of God. Kirtana or asked, "Why aren't you fasting today?" The
worship, 80ing on
stressed, could be attained through the satsang, wherein, devotional songs were sung in
man
replied, "Thave been taught by my Guru to
pilgrimages or taking holy fast every day. I eat a
guidance of a guru. chorus, became a regular feature. dips in rivers or following an little, sleep a little and I
Bhakti could be
music.
expressed through devotional KABIR organised form of worship avoid all temptations
like offering namaz. Kabir which distract me from
Kabir the greatest poet of the Bhakti
was
THE SAINTS OF MAHARASHTRA attacked the brahmanas and my faith. I am always
movement. There are many
interesting stories the qazis for complicating devoted to God. Dear
Maharashtra saw a great number of saint poets about his birth, upbringing and death. He was
religion and the life of the Kabir Raja, for me each day is
born
from the thirteenth to the seventeenth centuries, Kashi (Banaras, now Varanasi). There are
in common man. Kabir's foremost aim was to unite holy" Guru Nanak
Jnaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath and Tukaram as many legends about him. According to one, he
all castes. He also wanted to eradicate the
well as women like Sakkubai and the was found by a Muslim weaver and his wife who
The Raja was very touched and wished to meet
family of differences based on religion and caste between his Guru. Soon enough he was able to meet
Chokhamala, who belonged to the "untouchable" adopted him. Some believe that he was unmarried
people Hindu or Muslim, brahmana or shudra, Guru Nanak.
Mahar caste were while others say that he was married and had two
popular. They composed rich or poor. Kabir was fearless and his oral
devotional songs in children. He himself wove cloth and took it to the He brought many expensive gifts and valuable
simple Marathi that still teachings were in the form of short poems. These "Pleace accept these offerings and
continue to inspire people. These saint poets market. He lived in Banaras and had
many
offerings.
are collected in the Bijaka. He laid stress on pure accept me as your disciple." The Guru didn't
rejected social differences based orn birth and all disciples.
character conduct and a simple life, dedicated to accept his invitation. He tried again, "Dear
forms of rituals that had earlier
life of
complicated the Couplets of Kabir bhakti. He also preached ahimsa and asked people Guru, please come tomy palace, I will feed you
common men and women. In fact, they not to kill animals for food. His followers are and take care of you in every way. I beg you."
preferred to live with their families, earning their Aisee Vani Boliye, Man Ka Aapa Khoye
known as Kabirpanthis. The Guru asked him a question, "Why, do you
livelihood like any other person, while Apna Tan Sheetal Kare Auran Ko Sukh Hoye
humbly GURU NANAK
have some other special offering for me there?"
providing seva or service to fellow human beings Speak such words, sans ego's ploy "But, the whoe kingdom is an offering to you"
in need. In due course of time, a new humanist Guru Nanak was another very important saint of
idea developed that real bhakti Body remains composed, giving the listener joy the Indian subcontinent. He was born in Talwandi "No Raja, offer something which belongs to
lay in sharing
others' pain as all were children of God. Sayeen ltna Deejiye, Ja Mein Kutumb Samaye Nankana Sahib in Sheikhupura district
of you.
Main Bhi Bhookha Na Rahun, Sadhu Na Bhookha
(now "Guru Ji, I am the raja, the kingdom is mine."
in 1469. He was married and had
two
This regional tradition of Bhakti led to the Jaye Fakistan),
development of the Vitthala temple in Give so much,O God, suffice to envelop my clan Sons.Like Kabir, Guru Nanak emphasised
the "Raja, your ancestors also claimed to own the
Pandharpur. Worship of one God (Ek Onkar). The teachings
and kingdom. Where are they now? Do they still
Ishouldnot suffer cravings, nor the visitor go unfed an important
philosophy of Guru Nanak form
Cordova Learning Series HISTORY-7 81
80 Cordova Leaming Series HISTORY-7
 the gaps between the
THESUFI TRADITION Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya
Nanak wanted
to bridge in Delhi during
lifetimes you have claimed
Hindus and the Muslims
and differences based on he
tradition originated in
West Asia from Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya lived
it? In your past century onwards. It w a s movement Alauddin Khalji's time. He was one of the greatest
own
o w n those things? true religion, which could the 9th
Do you still by establishinga was his great followe
to o w n things.
these things.
Offer something8
castes
He preached the message
of love arallel to the Bhakti movement. Sufis settled in Sufi saints. Amir Khusrau
lead to salvation.
You don't o w n
believed that love and devotion different parts of
India and asked people to love Nizamuddin talked to his followers in Hindawi
whichis yours. and equality and that
offer to get his blessings. Cod,
Sod lead
a simple life and treat one another well or Hindi and this was one of the main reasons
what he could was the only way
to think of to one God
The king tried three principles The Sufi and Bhakti saints preached he became very popular with the masses.
the Guru besides his
wealth. He advised people
to follow the and as equals.
life: ideals of devotion and love for mankind
in that case, Ioffer you my
body" which contain the
essence
of the same
"Guru Ji, to bring the two communities together.
will o n e day become
a .NaamJapo (meditate) and helped
Raja, this body of yours saints had much in common with Sufis,
it and leave this .Kirt Karo (honest living) The Bhakti
pile of dust. You will shed much so that it is believed that they adopted
realm. So how can it
be yours? Offer so
earthly Varnd Chhako (help others) ideas of each other.
something that is yours. many
the concepts of justice,
Guru Nanak laid stress on
not mine and my Sufis
"Guru i, if my kingdom is righteousrness and liberty. Guru
Nanak introduced
is not mine, then I shall
offer you my He laid The Sufis were Muslim mystics. They gave great
body the concept of langar (community kitchen).
and devotion to God and
mind"
emphasis on purity of character and conduct. importance to love
"Raja, your mind constantly
leads you astray. Guru Nanak allowed women to attend his compassion towards all human beings.
You are a slave of your own mind. You cannot sermons along with men. Islam propagated strict monotheism or submission
say you own something
that controls you. Offer to one God. It did not believe in idol worship and Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya's Dargah
Find out the similarities between Sikhism and
something that is yours!" considerably simplified rituals of worshp into Chishti Silsilah
Bhakti tradition. collective prayers. The Muslim scholars developed
ideas.
Again the king was confused and out of During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Chishti
So he said, "Guru Ji, if my kingdom, my body the Shariyat, the holy law.
Guru Granth Sahib (Adi Granth) silsilah was very popular in India. Khwaja
and my mind are not mine, then I have nothing The Sufis often rejected the elaborate rituals and
Guru Nanak's teachings are in the form of verses. Muinuddin Chishti was one of the first great saints
left. What do I have left to offer you?" "Offer codes of behaviour demanded by Muslim religious
These have been compiled in the holy book of this silsilah. His dargah is situated at Ajmer. It is a
your 'me' and your 'mine':" Guru Ji was asking scholars. Like the saint poets, the Sufis too
called the Guru Granth Sahib. It has the centre of pilgrimage since the medieval times.
him to give up his ego. The Raja, hearing his
composed poems or hymns expressing their
words, drifted into a sublime state of teachings of Nanak and the three Gurus who feelings and devotion to God.
Every year, the festival of Urs is held at his dargah.
contemplation. He had grasped the teaching followed him, together with a large selection Other famous Chishti saints were:
A large number of people from all walks of life
and found that for the first time he wasnt from Kabir and the other saints of that period. It KhwajaQutub-ud-din Bakhtiyar Kaki
the advise and blessings of the saints to solve
thinking about himself. He had a taste of was compiled by the fifth Guru. It is the holy sought
their worldly problems. Some came to them to .BabaFarid
selflessness. Guru Ji told him, "Now go rule the scripture of the Sikhs.
participate in their music and dance sessions. Khwaja Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya
kingdom."
Sheikh Nasir-ud-din Mahmud Chirag-i-Dilli
o, Guru Ji, only you can make me understand. Wonderful To Know The Sufi saints held their assemblies in khanqahs in or

Ihave just
given everything
to you. Iam no one Before Guru Nanak died, he appointed Lehna, one
hospices. There was system to feed the needy
a
CASE STUDY: BABA FARID
and Ihave nothing, how can I rule now?
Please his followers, as his successor. Lehna came to be
of khanqahs. They fed the poor and the travelers.
When the pir or the head of the khangah died, his Baba Farid or Hazrat Fariduddin Mas'ud
guide me further" known as Guru
Angad. Guru Angad compiled tne Ganjshakar was a 12th century Sufi preacher of
"Raja, you have always ruled with the idea of compositions of Guru Nanak with his own in 8rave or the dargah would become a pilgrimage
the the Chishti silsilah. He is one of the first
'my kingdom, 'my palace, 'my Gurmukhi Script. The three successors of Guru
Angad
centre. One of the disciples called murid would then major
family', 'my
treasure, 'my people. Now you have also wrote
compositions. These compositions were succeed the pir. poets of Punjabi and orne ofthe main saints of
your My'. You are not given up put together by Guru Arjan. The writings of Sant Kabir, The Sufis were divided into different orders which Punjab. He is revered by Hindus, Muslims and
any more. Now just be an
trapped within yourself Bhagat Namdev, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Shaikh
Far 12 silsilahs. Sikhs alike and his works are included in the
instrument of the were added to this
compilation.
There are four more ere described as silsilahs. There were
Divine, just be like the hand of
God. Do your gurus between Arjan Dev Ji and Guru Govind
Singh
Some popular silsilahs were the Chishtis, the Adi Granth. He is buried at Pakpattan
present-day Punjab, Pakistan. It is recorded
in
royal duties as a holy offering to the Creator." Guru Granth Sahib was by and
large completed uhrawardis, the Firdausiya, the Qadria, the
the time of Guru
Arjan Dev Ji.
during that the explorer Ibn Battuta and the saint Guru
Naqsh-bandis and the Qalandriya
(82 Cordova Leaming Series
HISTORY Cordova Learming SeriesTORY 83
 of the Bhakti movement.
Kabir was the greatest poet and his teachings a,
(Quick Revisionl on
Nanak laid stress the concepts of justice, righteousness and liberty
Multiple Choice Questions u
in the Guru Granth
Sahib.
compiled were 12 silsilans
orders which were described as silsilahs. There
options.
his shrine. the correct
also formed different
Nanak had visited
his n a m e . It
is said i Tick ( ) different orders which The Sufis
the Suhrawardis, the Firdawsiya,
the Qadria and the
of Faridkot
bears also formed silsilahs w e r e the Chishtis,
The town
the city and
sat in 1. The Sufis popular known in India.
stopped in were described a s
Some
The Chishti and the Suhrawardi silsilahas were the mostwell
that Farid had Faridkot
Oalandriya.
The king of b) khanqahs
for forty days. with (a) silsilahs
. seclusion impressed
(then called Mokhalpur)
w a s so

he rnamed his ity

as
Faridkot.
(c) dargahs
Exercise
Baba Farid that him. true about Hazrat the
also named after is Class Software on
Faridabad
was
- Which of the following Use Cordova Smart exercsesS.

The city of 2. Quick Revision smart board in class to ado

these

Nizamuddin Auliya?
Teachings interacted
Khusrau w a s his great
devotee.
(MCQs) [Tick () the correct options.]
and
wrote in Persian, Hindi, (a) Amir
The Sufis
of the Sufi
saints
Hindawi. Choice Questions
saints. Teachings his followers in A.Multiple introduced in the medieval era?
with the Bhakti (b) He spoke to 1. Is Bhakti
a religious concept
are as followS: before in the ancient period.
worshipped () Both (a)
and (b) Bhakti was not heard of
and should be (a) Yes, but it gained
God is supreme is also mentioned in the Bhagavadgita
Meditation and Bhakti o r devotion
love and devotion. AND YOGIS
through NATHPANTHIS,
SIDDHAS b) No, medieval era.

chanting of God's
name (zikr) is very important. during this period. popularity in
the
evolved to the modern period.
Some other groups Bhakti as a religious concept belonged
Different
.Give proper respect to all religions. the Nathpanthis,
Siddhas and Yogis. (c) No,
different ways of reaching They w e r e of the Islam propagate?
religions preach These groups emphasised
renunciation
2. What did
submission to o n e God.
God. stressed upon the strict monotheism or
Islam propagated
world to attain salvation. They (a)
Followa simplelifestyle. believe in idol worship.
training of mind and body through Yogasanas, (b) Islam did not
Help the poor and the needy. meditation and breathing exercises. They
() Both (a) and (b)
shows the correct path. with
Follow a pir (guru) who the traditional rituals
associated
close criticised
B. Fill in the blanks.
way of coming these groups did not have
Devotional music was one
religion. However, 1. Krishna bhakti
was made popular by.
Muinuddin Chishti especially
to God. Khwaja many followers.
gave importance
to musical gatherings. 2. Sufmneans..
been compiled in the holy
book called the ..
That Time 3. Guru Nanak's teachings have the Quran.
In Other Parts Of The World During . i s the law of Muslims which is derived from
in Europe. Martin Luther
****

were described as
Reformation was the highlight of the sixteenth century
.

different orders which

Church went against the 5. The Sufis also formed
felt that
(1483-1546) practices of the Roman Catholic
many for false statements.
atonement of sins. He propagated C. Write (T) for true and (F) death and rebirth.
Bible like the donations made to the Church for Hinduism talked aboutbirth,
use of the language of the ordinary people
and translated the Bible into German. 1. During medieval times, castes including
those who w e r e called
the and it aimed at ending the The Nayanars and Alvars
c a m e from all
This movement was called the Reformation movement 2.
and the Panars.
"untouchables", like the Pulaiyars
reformists
corruption within the Church. Similar to Bhakti and Sufi saints, the
establishment of the and Lakshman.
believed in simplicity and love towards God. It lead to the
Martin Luther 3. Chaitanya devotee
was a of Ram died, his grave
or the dargah would
Protestant Church. of the khangah
4 When the pir o r the head
become a pilgrimage centre.
Points To Remember
Answer The Following
Medieval period is known for the evolution of religious trends.
correct answers.]
According to Bhakti saints, a person's life was connected to his past karma or the good and bad
M u l t i p l e Choice Questions
(MCQs) [Tick ( ) the
actions. 1. Whatwas Sufismn? and Buddhist
Greek, Yogic
Almost parallel to Bhakti Movement was an Islamic philosophy popularly called Sufi Movement. was a
result of Hindu,
that
Sufism is a term given to Islamic mysticism that was a result of Hindu, Greek, Yogic and Buddhist (a) Islamic mysticism

religious ideas, beliefs and some new ideas and religious practices such as meditation and
religious ideas, beliefs
( c ) nothing
but worship of Jesus Christ
penance. reform in Hinduism
(b) HISTORY785
Cordova Leaming Series
a

84 Cordova Leaming Series HlISTORY-7

 contain the essence of life?
2. What were Guru Nanak's three principles which
(a) Naam japo, kirt karo, vand chhako
(b) Shabad, langar, kirt karo
(c) Vand chhako, kirt karo, langar
B. Short Answer Questions
1. Who were the Alvars and Nayanars?
2. Compare the Bhakti idea of Ramanuja with that of Shankaracharya.
3. Write about one legend associated with Kabir.
4. Name five popular silsilahs.
5. What do you understand by Khanqah?
C. LongAnswer Questions
1. How did the Bhakti and Sufi movements contribute to the life of a common man?
2. Write a note on (a) Guru Nanak's preachings (6) Saints of Maharastra
3. What were the teachings of the Bhakti and Sufi saints? To what extent were they similar? Expla
with examples.
D. HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) Questions
1. What did Kabir want to convey through his teachings?
2. What made people turn to Buddhism, Jainism and later Bhakti and Sufi movements?
E. Value Corner
What are the common virtues underlined by the Bhakti and Sufi saints?

Activity
Find out the names of six Bhakti saints in the given wordgrid.
Bada hua to kya hua jaise ped khajoor cH AIT|A NYA
Panthi ko chaya nahi phal lage ati door
NRSULZV
(Evenif you are abig person it does not matter. You are like the palmAX
XoUK A B 1R
tree which is very tall. It does not give its shade to
anyone. Even the MEERA B|A|0
fruits are so high that it
up is
greatnessis of no use to anyone.)
very difficult to get them. Hence, your
DPNDRXURP
EQPA |A|z|v zY
Lookfor another doha written by Kabir, recite and explain whatitvR L s Mo W|XN
means.

Surfing is Interesting
To read a story about Guru Nanak, visit

http://www.sikhnet.com/stories/tags/guru-nanak
To read some sufi stories, visit

http://www.tomthumb.org/142/some-sufi-stories/
Life Skill
Perform a good deed and write a few lines about your
feelings after performing the task.
(86 Cordova Learning Series HISTORY-7